In one of the most impressive performances of the entire 64-day meeting, trainer Phil D'Amato's Irish-bred Going Global split horses turning for home and rocketed to a 4 ¾-length win in Saturday's Grade 3, $100,000 Honeymoon Stakes at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif. Ridden by Flavien Prat, Going Global got 1 1/8 miles on firm turf in 1:46.37 and registered her fourth consecutive North American stakes win.
Taken in-hand out of the gate, Going Global had two horses beat while fifth, about eight lengths off pacesetter Pizzazz heading into the clubouse turn. Fifth in a field of seven sophomore fillies, about four lengths off the lead while under restraint mid-way around the far turn, Prat angled out turning for home, shooting a gap between Pizzazz and longshot Midnight Diva.
From there, Going Global ran like a wild horse to the wire in a performance that could well have national implications.
“I think that she's a filly that is just blossoming before our eyes right now,” said D'Amato, the meet's leading trainer with 41 wins and co-leader, along with Baffert in stakes wins with 14. “Each performance, I thought was better than the next and this one I thought, was many lengths better than the last. It's just exciting to have a filly like this going into Del Mar and hopefully, the sky's the limit.
“For a 3-year-old filly at this time of the year, she's probably the best filly I've ever had. I've had a lot of good Grade 1-winning mares, but this early on in their career, I'd say she's definitely the best 3-year-old filly.”
A winner of three turf stakes dating back to her U.S. debut, the Grade 3 Sweet Life Stakes on Feb. 14, Going Global came off a hard-fought neck win in the Grade 3 Providencia Stakes at the Honeymoon distance and was 4-5 favorite Saturday afternoon, returning $3.60, $2.40 and $2.20.
“We had a good pace and she relaxed very well,” said Prat, who's been aboard in all of her local starts. “We were able to save ground and when she found that hole, she was very impressive. She has a great turn of foot and yes, that was a pretty good race for her, her best race so far.”
Owned by CYBT, Michael Dubb, Saul Gevertz, Michael Nentwig and Ray Pagano, Going Global is now unbeaten in four stateside starts and has five wins from eight overall races. With today's winner's share of $60,000, she increased her earnings to $248,792.
Last to the quarter pole, Golden, who was ridden by Umberto Rispoli, rallied three-wide into the stretch and out-finished Midnight Diva by a half length for second. Off at 5-1, Golden paid $4.60 and $3.60.
Ridden by Abel Cedillo, Midnight Diva was an attentive third early and stayed in game fashion late to run third by 2 ¼ lengths over Quattroelle. Off at 29-1, Midnight Diva paid $7.20 to show.
Fractions on the race were 22.89, 45.66, 1:09.79 and 1:34.59.
Racing resumes on Sunday with first post time for a nine-race card at 1 p.m.
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